The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-12-09


out. Engineer Knight, whether from
natural impulsiveness, or at signal from
Andrews, rose also and went out with him.
These two got off on the side next to the
camp, and opposite the depot They
walked forwarri at an ordinary pace until
abreast of the locomotive, which they saw
at a glance to be Vacant-engineer and fire.
man had gone to breakfast. That was very
good! Andrews walked few steps further
forward with Knight still at his side, I'M
til he could see ahead of the engine that
the track was clear as far as curve q
little way up the road which closed the
view. Then they turned and walked back
until just in advance of the first baggage
car and behind the three empty freight
cars, when Andrews said with a nod,
"Uncouple here and wait for me-" Knight
drew out the pin and carefully laid it on
the draw bar. Andrews came back to the
door of our car and opening it said
in his ordinary tone, not shade louder or
more hurried than usual, "Come on, boys;
it Is time to go now" Our hearts gave
great bound at the word, but we rose
quietly and followed him. Nothing in
this was likely to attract the attention of
the few passengers who still remained in
the car; butt mattered little, for the time
of concealment was now past. Andrews
glided forward very swiftly, and knight,
seeing him coming, hurried on before and
jumped on the engine, where he at once
cut the bell rope and, Selling the throttle
bar, stood leaning forward with tense
muscles, and eye fixed on the face of his
leader.
Andrews did not follow, but stood q
step back from the locomotive with one
hand on the rail, looking at his men as
they ran forward. Brown and Wilson
(the other engineer and fireman) darted
forward at the top of their speed and took
their post beside Knight on the engine.
AS soon as the rest Of us reached the hind
most box car we saw that its door was
wide open. Whether this was mere
happy accident, or whether, as is more
likely, Andrews had gone forward before
we reached the station and opened it, with
his usual audacity, do not know. But
he motioned with his hand to us saying,
sect in! Get inr' We needed no urging.
The floor was breast high, but the hind
most showed and lifted the foremost and
were themselves pulled up in turn.
helped to throw Shadrack up and had my
arm almost pulled off as was dragged in
by him a second after. All this time q
sentry was standing not dozen feet from
the engine quietly watching, as IL this was
the most ordinary proceeding, and a num-
Der of other soldiers were idling but q
short distance away. All this work was
Of seconds only, and as the last man was
being pulled in, Andrews stepped on
board, and nodded to Knight, who had
never taken his eyes from his face Quick
as flash the valve was thrown open and
the steam giant unchained!--but for an
instant which seemed terribly long the To-
connective seemed to stand still; knight
had thrown the full power on too sud-
denly, and the wheels slipped on the
track, whirling with swift revolutions and
the hiss of escaping steam, before the in
ertia of the ponderous machine could be
overcome. But this was an instant only;
none of the soldiers had time to raise their |
muskets, give an alarm, or indeed to re-
cover from their stupor before the wheels |
'bit, I" and the train shot away as IL fired |
from a cannon!
We were now flying on our perilous |
journey. The door Of the box car was |
pulled shut to guard against any shot that |
might be fired, and while partially opened
afterward to give us some view Of what |
was passing, it was always closed again
whenever we neared station.